KUWAIT: Kuwait’s education minister met the head of the Teachers Society on Thursday to discuss changes to leadership training and professional-development programs, as debate continues over sweeping reforms to how the ministry fills supervisory jobs.
The meeting comes at a time when the government is restructuring the path to roles such as vice-principal, department head and kindergarten supervisor — a system long criticized for wait times that stretched years and, in some specialties, even decades.
For years, many educators waited six to seven years for a chance at promotion because vacancies were limited and the old waiting-list system had no clear criteria. In some subjects, a teacher could theoretically wait more than 40 years before reaching a supervisory position due to the large number of applicants. For example, the number of teachers waiting to take on supervisory roles in kindergartens reached 967 applicants, compared to an actual need for only 22 positions, according to numbers published in local Arabic media.
Decision 116/2025, introduced earlier this year, was touted as a fair replacement for those waiting lists with new standards based on electronic tests, interviews, a multi-year training track and updated experience requirements.
During the meeting on Thursday, Education Minister Jalal Al-Tabtabaei thanked the Teachers Society for what he called its “constructive cooperation,” noting its role in supporting specialized training courses and expanding facilities to handle the growing number of candidates for supervisory positions.
Court dispute
But the reform has been controversial. Some teachers say the new criteria are fairer and more transparent. Others argue they’re too strict or disadvantage certain groups. Earlier this month, the administrative court upheld the minister’s decision after a lawsuit challenged the new rules, confirming that applicants must reapply under the updated system because no appointments under the old system had been finalized.
A group of kindergarten teachers recently voiced concerns that the new experience thresholds are uneven across specialties. In a written plea published on Twitter, they said they “felt wronged” and urged officials to “re-examine the criteria to achieve justice.”
According to a ministry statement, Minister Al-Tabtabaei and Head of the Society Hamad Al-Holi discussed updating leadership courses and agreed on academic content that reflects the varied backgrounds of applicants. The ministry said the aim is to improve readiness and ensure fairness and transparency in the selection process. They also looked at developing testing models tailored to each specialty and job type, saying these assessments would help identify candidates who can “lead educational work efficiently and responsibly.”
The meeting touched on a plan to build a comprehensive training program for new teachers, with a focus on classroom management and modern teaching strategies. A joint committee will draft the program’s framework before it is rolled out. The officials also reviewed a proposal to require a “certificate of good conduct” for applicants to supervisory positions, an idea the ministry says reinforces integrity and ethical standards in hiring school leaders.
Both sides highlighted the need to upgrade the skills of kindergarten teachers through specialized training, noting their work with young children requires updated tools and methods. With inclusion classrooms expanding for students with learning difficulties, Al-Tabtabaei called for dedicated training to help teachers manage these settings “efficiently and flexibly.” He said stronger staff skills are key to helping students “integrate properly into the classroom environment” and receive appropriate support.
The ministry and the Teachers Society said they will continue working together on plans to support teachers, improve professional performance and strengthen learning outcomes across Kuwait’s schools. — Agencies
